A Golden Chain

The outward efficient cause was the devil. And though he be not named by Moses in the history of the fall, yet that is not to trouble us: for we must not conceive otherwise of the serpent, then of the instrument and mouth of the devil. For it is not likely that it being a brute creature should be able to reason and determine of good and evil, of trueth and falsehood. Now in this temptation the devil shows his malice and his fraud. His malice, in that, whereas he cannot overturn God himself, yet he labours to disturb the order which he hath set down in the creation, and especially the image of God in the most excellent creatures on earth, that they may be in the same miserable condition with himself. His fraud, first in that he begins his temptation with the woman being the weaker person, & not with the man, which course he still continues: as may appear by this, that^(a) more women are entangled with witchcraft and sorcery then men. Secondly he shows his fraud, in that he proceeds very slyly and entangles Eve by certain steppes and degrees. For first by moving a question, he draws her to listen unto him, and to reason with him of Gods commandment. Secondly, he brings her to look upon the tree, and wishly to view the beauty of the fruit. Thirdly, he makes her to doubt of the absolute truth of Gods word and promise, and to believe his contrary lies. Fourthly, having blinded her mind with his false persuasions, she desires and lusts after the forbidden fruit, and thereupon takes it, eats it and gives it to her husband.

The outward efficient cause was the deuill. And though he bee not named by Moses in the historie of the fall, yet that is not to trouble vs: for wee must not conceiue otherwise of the serpent, then of the instrument and mouth of the deuill. For it is not likely that it beeing a bruite creature should be able to reason and determine of good and euill, of trueth and falshood. Nowe in this temptation the deuill shewes his malice and his fraud. His malice, in that, whereas he cannot ouerturne God himselfe, yet he labours to disturbe the order which he hath set downe in the creation, and especially the image of God in the most excellent creatures on earth, that they may be in the same miserable condition with himselfe. His fraud, first in that he begins his temptation with the woman being the weaker person, & not with the man, which course he still continues: as may appeare by this, that^(a)